Location: New Parliament House - Parliament Dr, Canberra; Old Parliament House - 618 King George Terrace, Canberra
While theyâre perhaps the most âtokenâ possible experience to do while visiting Canberra, that doesnât make paying a visit to Parliament while youâre there any less essential, with both the Old and New versions each offering something different.
More than just a seat of government, New Parliament house is an impressive feat of architecture in and of itself, and it serves as a good starting point for your Canberra exploration with its rooftop lookout that provides some great panoramic views out over the city and beyond.
Itâs a very uniquely designed building that still feels modern despite being constructed a fair few years ago now, and most will want to grab themselves a picture in front of the building with the Aussie flag billowing proudly in the background.
Stepping inside, and itâs clear that no expense has been spared here (much to the chagrin of some taxpayers, weâre sure) - the interior is elaborate and features plenty of marble and elaborately carved panels with portraits of past political and social figures dotting the walls at regular intervals.
Itâs a facility that blends Australian history with art and impressive decor to become one of Canberraâs main attractions, and the public are given an almost-uncommonly wide degree of access to its various areas be it the aforementioned roof, the main foyer (which houses a historic original copy of the Magna Carta), as well as the chambers of both the upper and lower houses.
"While theyâre perhaps the most âtokenâ possible experience to do while visiting Canberra, that doesnât make paying a visit to Parliament while youâre there any less essential."
Free guided tours of New Parliament House are held at three different sessions throughout the day - 10:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm, respectively - run by enthusiastic tour guides who can provide you with a further level of curation and insight to the various historical features, rooms and documents which highlight various parts of Australiaâs history.
Itâs also got surprisingly good parking available to the public, so youâll typically be able to find yourself a spot under the building itself on all but the busiest occasions.
Old Parliament House, meanwhile - which was the seat of government from 1927 through to 1988 - is a regal building in its own right, and now has been converted largely to serve as the home of the Museum of Australian Democracy: a showcase of the past, present and future of Australian legislation as well as a charming example of old-world interior design.
While a small $2 entry fee is required to get in, itâs a small price to pay when you can visit the offices of former ministers, sit in their seats and play the role of an old-time politician for a few hours.
Regardless of whether or not you have any particular interest in politics, both of these buildings are such significant national icons with their own impressive quirks that youâd be a fool to make a trip to Canberra and not bother to visit at least once, making them both predictable yet justified items on this list.